High school students’ concepts regarding food chains and food webs: a multinational study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the views of high school students with regard to food chains and food webs. This investigation included 96 randomly selected students from three countries (32 from each country): the USA, Australia and Canada. Each subject was individually interviewed using the interviews about events method. During each interview, the investigators asked the subject a set of standard questions that was developed prior to the beginning of this study. The investigators found that most of the students from all three countries had some difficulty in providing a complete explanation of the complex feeding relationship that occurs within a food web and that some of these students revealed one or more misconceptions about these relationships.     

The work of Picture-stores in Further Education for Teachers

We are at present witnessing a deep-seated change in the field of education. One of the manifestations of this is the rebuilding of teacher training, and of teacher training in all its forms.     

A Review of “Seeking Sense in the City: European Perspectives on Religious Education”

If universities can teach about religion, the community colleges cannot be far behind. Here are some impelling reasons     

Promoting student agentic engagement through curriculum: exploring the Negotiated Integrated Curriculum initiative

Building on the various works of theorists pertaining to curriculum negotiation, the Negotiated Integrated Curriculum (NIC) initiative detailed in this article attempts to redress the imbalance within curricular decision-making whereby student voice and learner agency is largely absent. The NIC initiative enquires into students’ concerns about life and constructs a curriculum to address these concerns as a mechanism that can be shaped to make learning more meaningful through agentic engagement. Based on a longitudinal study of two primary schools, this small scale, exploratory research details the influence of this process on learners and educators and the challenges that were faced during its implementation. The findings of this study examine two main issues: the first is how student voice, particularly around the decision-making of pedagogical activities, can be practically implemented to enhance the perceived relevance of a curriculum; and secondly the process of negotiation between teachers and students to achieve this. Recommendations for the promotion of learner agency and further research are discussed in the context of Irish curriculum reform.     

Developmental dyscalculia is a familial learning disability

Whereas current evidence attests to a genetic component in the etiology of dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), little is known about the role of genetics in developmental dyscalculia (DC). The objective of this study was to determine the familial aggregation of DC. Siblings and parents of children with DC were assessed for arithmetic, reading and attention disorders. The criteria for DC were an IQ higher than 85, poor performance in arithmetic, and a significant discrepancy between arithmetic achievement and IQ. The study group was composed of 39 children with DC, 21 mothers, 22 fathers, 90 siblings, and 16 second-degree relatives. We found that 66% of mothers, 40% of fathers, 53% of siblings, and 44% of second-degree relatives had DC. The intraclass correlation between the sib pairs was .27. A 95% confidential interval (CI) for the prevalence of DC among siblings of DC probands (see Note 1) ranged from 40% to 64%, indicating a familial prevalence almost tenfold higher than expected for the general population. IQ and attention problems were not risk factors for DC. We conclude that DC, like other learning disabilities, has a significant familial aggregation, suggesting a role for genetics in the evolution of this disorder.     

Factor analysis of the pervasive developmental disorders rating scale with teacher ratings of students with autistic disorder

The Pervasive Developmental Disorders Rating Scale (PDDRS; Eaves, 2003) is a rating scale that is used in the screening process for pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). The PDDRS contains three scales: Arousal, Affect, and Cognition. In this study, the construct validity of the PDDRS was examined with teacher ratings from a sample of 168 children with autistic disorder through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. In the exploratory factor analysis, a three‐factor structure was examined. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to evaluate the model‐fit of the data for the hypothesized second‐order factor structure. The results supported the averred factor structure of the PDDRS with teacher ratings for students with autistic disorder. Limitations of the data and areas for future research are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 207–216, 2005.     

Stakeholders integration in higher education: supply chain approach

Supply chain management principles have emerged in the last decade as a strategic option to meet new challenges in global business environment. Viewing business environment as part of a chain, starting from raw material suppliers to end customers passing by producers, is at the heart of supply-chain management. Many management principles have emerged for better planning and controlling this chain to the benefit of all parties involved. This paper explores the implications of supply-chain management principles on higher education. First, a supply-chain view of higher education is described and its environment is analysed for the possibility of adopting supply-chain principles. Features that might be catalysts or hurdles towards these principles are identified. Second, a framework for supply-chain coordination and integration in higher education that takes into consideration these features are developed. Finally, existing practices that address supply-chain in higher education are identified and some new practices representing a natural extension of supply-chain management practices are suggested. A potential case study for implementing these concepts is presented.     

Development of the Sample Survey as a Scientific Methodology

The authors apply current influential models from the motivational literature to develop the comprehensive factors influencing teaching choice (FIT-Choice) scale, to measure factors influencing the choice to teach for beginning preservice teacher education candidates. They validate the scale using 2 large cohorts (N = 488; 652) and describe the factors that teacher education candidates identified as most important in their decision to teach. Furthermore, the authors examine longitudinal relationships for participants who have now completed their teaching qualification (N = 294) to determine how entry motivations relate to exit levels of teaching engagement and professional development aspirations. The study makes several important theoretical contributions: The authors extend the values component of the expectancy-value motivational framework, go beyond high school students to examine career choices of adults, and specifically examine the domain of teaching as a career choice. The new FIT-Choice measure provides a theoretical and analytical framework to help guide future investigations in this area. Understanding teacher candidates' motivations for choosing teaching has implications for teacher education planning and curriculum design, teacher recruitment authorities, and government and intergovernmental planning and policy decisions—especially when many.     

Sensing the Impact of Elementary School Science Reform: A Study of Stakeholder Perceptions of Implementation,Constructivist Strategies,and School–Home Collaboration

This case study of a midwestern school districts reform effort explored the treatment fidelity of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) project. Data were collected from the perspectives of three stakeholders: students, school district, and parents. Students and school district supervisors perceptions indicated that teachers were implementing predicted curricular and instructional features promoted by the Science PALs project. Students perceptions of their current teachers classroom performance did not parallel the supervisors perceptions of the teachers implementation. Parents perceptions and comments indicated a high level of satisfaction with the implemented features. Collectively, the three perspectives suggest that the Science PALs project was successful in changing the classroom practices of K–6 teachers involved in the professional development. The results of this study appear to support the findings of other recent studies that indicate the need for extended professional development and support to fully implement changes in elementary school science instruction.